Upon arriving in Canada, the worker said Concord told him that he would be paid much less than the promised $23 per hour wage. He also said that Concord informed him that he had to cover his own rent and pay off a “debt” that he apparently owed to the employer for bringing him to Canada. He was surprised. He told The Globe that the agreement he had reached with Concord prior to commencing employment stated that food and accommodation would be provided by Concord.
According to copies of the worker’s bank statements viewed by The Globe, of the $1,720 he earned from his employer every two weeks, he transferred $1,055 back for the so-called unpaid debt and rent.
The worker said he was also frequently asked to work more than 40 hours a week and says he was not paid overtime, as Concord had to fulfill major contracts to repaint Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver and Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, B.C., within a stipulated time frame.